Means for connecting excavating scoops or shovels to tractors



Se t. 18,192?

w. c. GRIFFITH MEANS FOR CONNECTING EXCAVA'IING SCOOPS OR 'SHOVELS TO TRACTQRS Filed July 18. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES ATTORNEY Sept. 18,1923. 1,468,47fl

. W. C. GRIFFITH MEANS FOR CONNECTING EXCAVATING SCOOPS 0R SHOVELS TO TRACTORS ma July 18 1922 2 sneew-sheem IINVENTOR) WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented Sept. is, an.

intent eats stares reat option.

WILLIAM onrnes GRIFFITH, or MERRILL, OREGON.

V MEANS FOR CONNECTING EXCAVATING SCGOPS 0R SHOVELS TO TBACTOBS.

Application filed July 18,

.of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Connecting Excavating Scoops or Shovels to Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to excavating scoops or shovels, and more particularly to the a means for attaching the same to tractors to be drawnby the latter during operation. The object is to providea shovel or scoop,

tilt'ably connected at the rear' ends of draw bars so that the same may be tilted or dumped to discharge its contents, said tilting as well as the finer adjustments for the depth of out being controlled by an operator trailing the scoop, the said draw bars being hingedly, connected at their front ends to vertically adjustable pivotsto more properly adapt the scoop to the proper position for doing its work.

A further object is to provide means for connecting the draw bars at an intermediate point to felevating means carried by the tractor, said means being automatically engaged orconnected with the elevator when the scoop is emerging from a ditch or declivity so as to lift the load of dirt free of the ground, if desired, and also to enablethe machine to be pushed backwardly again for a fresh load. a V

Another object is to provide such connecting means which may be instantly disconnected from the draw bars ofthe scoop by pressure from the foot of the operator riding on the foot boards of the tractor, so that the scoop is free to enterthe starting end of the ditch, or at any other point, after the same has beencarried back to such point by the tractor, thus obviating the necessity of turning the tractor around,

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from aconsider; ation of the following detailed descri )tion, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood thatwhile the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention,

1922. Serial No. 575,885.

as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts. throughout the several figures:

Figure l is a side elevation, of the rear end of a tractor having a shovel or scoop embodying the improvements thereto.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the draw bars of the scoop and showing the means of connection to the tractor.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the draw bars and showing their connection to the lifting lever.

In operating shovels or scoops of the character herein shown and described, the difficulty has been to be able to pick up the scoop after dumping the same, and while free of the ground, to run back to the startlng point for another load, it being only necessary to reverse the tractor which moves in both directions in straddling relation to the ditch. Another desirable feature is to be enabled to guide the cutting edge of the scoop so as to take a greater or lesser cut, and to dump the same at any point, as in levelling work, and to be enabled, during the operation of ditching or forming trenches, etc. to detach the elevating means so that the scoop will fall below the level of the ground and remove the dirt at the bottom of a ditch of considerable depth, the said scoop automatically engaging itself with the connecting means carried by the elevator when it reaches the incline at the end of the ditch, and raised by the same to be carried to attached a distant point or to be dumped at any other 1 angle iron bars may, however, be used to equal advantage in the construction of the draw bars if desired.

The draw barsl are similarly formed and are provided intermediate of their ends with downwardly bent portions 2, the lower ends of the bars being provided with bolt openings 3, through which pivotal bolts at are;

adapted to. pass for the purpose of hingedly connecting a scoop 5, which may be of any desired form and construction, the said scoop forming no part of the present invention. The scoop is preferably provided with the usual angularly bent runners 6 at either end of the same and operating handles 7 suitably secured to the rear closed side of the scoop, and extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom, so as to be within reach of an operator who walks along behind the scoop in the ordinary manner, it being understood that the front, open or active side of the scoop is directed toward the other ends of the draw bars, which constitute the front ends of the sameand which are connected-to the rear end of the tractor.

The front ends of the draw bars 1 are connected together by a transversely disposed angle bar 8, held to the ends of the same by headed screws 9, and further 7 strengthened by an angularly bent bracket having an intermediate portion it) adapter to be bolted to the intermediate portion of the angle bar 8, as at ll, and angular end portions 12 terminating in feet it; which are bolted to the inner sides of the draw bars 1, as atl l, the bracket thus serving to maintain the draw bars in their spaced, parallel positions with relation to each other.

iidjustably secured to the upper edges of the draw bars 1, at any desired point be tween the rear ends of the feet l3 and the upper or forward ends of the inclined portions 2 of the same, is another transversely disposed angle iron 15 extending, like the front angle iron 8, somewhat beyond the outer faces of the draw bars, and the angle iron'l5 is held to the draw bars by means of til-bolts 16, the latter serving also to bind the foot portions 17 of a bail or loop 18, which extends upwardly and inwardly to form an engaging portion at the longitudinal center line'between the draw bars.

The frontangle iron 8 is provided with a plurality of bolt openings lfl for the reception of bolts '20 which connect the draw bars, together with the scoop, to a clevis 21 having pivotal connection to the rear end of a draw link 22, which, in turn, is pivotally connected as at 2 3 to the frame of the tractor at a point slightly in advance ofthe rear axle 24 thereof, and at the under side of said frame.

end pivotally connected to a crank member 26, forminga part of a transversely disposed shaft mounted on the upper side of the tractor frame, and actuated 'bya hand lever 27, which ma be inaniiulated to raise or lower the clevis 21 at will, in order to position the front ends of the draw bars at; the desired elevation.

Mounted at the rear end of the main frame of the tractor is a lifting dog 28 piv-. otally connected, at 29, to rock vertically, through the pulling action of a link 30, connected to suitable means for actuating the same under load, and to cause the rear end of the lifting dog 28 to rise to the dotted about its pivot 31 in'the bifurcated end 33 of the said dog, and'the lever 32 is provided at its upper end with a Hat portion 3ft arranged transversely to the frame of the tractor, and free to be reached and operated by the foot of the tractor attendant, to cause the lower end of the lever 5a to be moved in forward direction.

The lower end of the lever 32 is provided with a rearwardly directed bill or hook 35 adapted to engage with the bail 18 earried by the draw bars 1 and to support the same in a substantially horizontal position,'as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

lVith the parts connected as shown in Figure 1, the ij'orward, open and active end i of the shovel or scoop 5 is in a position to do levelling work upon the surface of j the ground, the fluctuations necessary in the elevation of the cutting edge of the scoop being readily accomplished by simply tilting the same about the bolt -l through the medium of the handles 7, in the ordinary manner. When it is desired to dump the load on the level, it is only necessary to throw 't-he scoop over on the runners 6 at the desired point, and in the event it is desired to lift the scoop load and carry the same to a distant point, the lifting dog 28 n'iay be rocked about its pivot by means of the link 30 to cause the bill of the hook 35 at the lower end of the lever 32 to automatically engage the bail 18, when the'lifting link 30 may be actuated to lift the draw bars, scoop and load to the elevated position, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the said draw barssivinging about their forwardpivotal pointsat the lower end of the link 25. 7

In the operation of ditching, the hook 35 is disengaged from the bail 18, when the ltil) scoop may follow the downward course of the entrance to a ditch, or maybe dro ni'ed bodily unto the same at any point, the front ends of the draw bars swinging downwardly about their pivot, andthelinks 22 will still serve to give the necessary pull to cause the scoop to receive its load whereupon,"when the other "inclined end of the ditch is reached, the scoop may be guided by-ithe'following operator to travel up the same, when the bail 18 will swing upwardly in the path of the curved bill of the hook 35, and the latter will automatically engage the -same" andthe dog 28 may be operated to lift the 50 ed to be connected to vertically adjustable load clear of the ground, if desired, or the same may be dragged along the surface of V the ground and dumped at any point.

28 and actuating means for the same, these parts being common to the well known Heider tractor, but it is to be understood that the present invention may be as advantageously connected to and operated in conjunction with other means capable of accomplishing the desired results.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, durable, easily manufactured excavating scoop or shovel supporting frame has been provided, and means for connecting the same to elevating means carried by a tractor, whereby the said scoop 'may be manipulated in a manner'to effect a great saving in the operations of levelling ground or in forming trenches or ditches for irrigation purposes, etc., and that the same may be easily attached in position for work, or detached from the tractor when desired.

WNhat is claimed is':

1. A device of the class described, comprising spaced, )arallel draw-bars adapted to be pivotally connected at their lower, rear ends to an excavating scoop, a transverse member connecting the spaced, forward 7 ends of the bars and adapted tobe connected to a tractor, an intermediate transverse bar adjustably mounted on the draw bars, an upstanding bail carried by theintermediate, transverse bar, and a lifting lever adapted to be fulcrumed intermediate its ends, on the tractor, said lever being provided with a foot plate at its upper end for rocking the same andhaving a hook at its lower end for engagement with the said bail .to support the'draw bars and scoop.

2. A device of the class described, com prising spaced, parallel draw-bars provided intermediate their ends with inclined portions and adapted to be pivotally connected at their lower, rear ends to an excavating scoop, a transverse member connecting the spaced, forward ends of the bars and adaptpulling means carried by a tractor, an intermediate transverse bar adjustably mounted" on the draw bars between the forward ends and the inclined portions of the draw bars, an upstanding bail carried by the intermediate, transverse bar, and a lifting lever adapted to be fulcrumed intermediate its ends. to a lifting dog mounted for rocking movement on the tractor, said lever being provided with a foot plate at its upper end for rocking the same and having a hook at its lower end for engagement with the said bail to support the draw bars and scoop.

3; In combination with a tractor having a lifting dog, a lever pivoted to the dog and I having a hook at its lower end directed rearwardly, a scoop, draw bars supporting the latter, means for connecting the forward ends of the draw bars to the tractor, and a bail on the draw bars adapted to automatically engage the hook.

4:. In combination with a tractor having a lifting means, a lever carried by said means and provided with a hook, a scoop, draw bars, means for flexibly connecting the front ends of the draw bars to the tractor, means for pivotally connecting the rear ends of the draw'bars to said scoop, and means carried by the draw bars to be automatically engaged by said hook, whereby the draw bars and scoop may be raised above the ground.

. 5; In combination with a tractor having a lifting means, a lever carried by said lifting means and provided with a hook and a foot plate for rocking the lever on its pivot, a scoop, spaced draw bars, means for flexibly connecting the front ends of the draw bars to the tractor, means for pivotally connecting the rear ends of the draw bars to said scoop, and an upstanding rigid bail carried by the draw bars intermediate of their ends, said bail being automatically engaged by said hook, whereby the draw bars and scoop may be raised above the ground.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

VILLIAM CEPHAS GRIFFITH. 

